Seat belt buckle

ABSTRACT

A seat belt buckle for use by occupants of vehicles including first and second metal members, and first and second belts respectively attached to said first and second members, said buckle being the fastening member of a seat belt assembly. The first member has a lip bent under the main portion of the first member and the second member has a lip bent over the main portion of the second member for mating with and engaging the lip of the first member. Magnetic or spring means are provided to hold the respective lips of said first and second members together when there is a lack of tension on the respective belts, and the mating engagement of the lips of the first and second members insures that the seat belt buckle will remain linked together when the respective belts are placed under tension.

[ Mar. 26, 1974 SEAT BELT BUCKLE Inventor: Jesse R. Hollins, 1 ChesterDr.,

Great Neck, NY. 11021 [22] Filed: Oct. 7, 1971 [21] App]. N0.: 187,429

[52] US. Cl. 297/385, 24/195, 24/196,

24/200, 24/201 HH, 24/201 B V [51] Int. Cl A441) 17/00 [58] Field ofSearch 24/201 HH, 230 SL, 194,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,379,896 7/1945 Fitzgerald24/230 SL 3,530,546 9/1970 Ferrando 24/75 998,943 7/1911 Armstrong24/236 672,793 4/1901 Mixer 24/230 L 1,881,677 10/1932 Klinetob 24/751,252,261 1/1918 Goubert 24/213 R 928,006 7/1909 Thomas 24/84 B3,221,384 12/1965 Aufenacker 24/237 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. GayAssistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette [5 7] ABSTRACT A seat belt bucklefor use by occupants of vehicles including first and second metalmembers, and first and second belts respectively attached to said firstand second members, said buckle being the fastening member of a seatbelt assembly. The first member has a lip bent under the main portion ofthe first member and the second member has a lip bent over the mainportion of the second member for mating with and engaging the lip of thefirst member. Magnetic or spring means are provided to hold therespective lips of said first and second members together when there isa lack of tension on the respective belts, and the mating engagement ofthe lips of the first and second members insures that the seat beltbuckle will remain linked together when the respective belts are placedunder tension.

1 Claim, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARZE m4 3799.610

SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR. x6555 R. h azu/vs PATENTEDmzs I974 V 3799.610

sum 2 0r 2 INVENTOR. 555 A. Hazy/v5 SEAT BELT BUCKLE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention This invention relates to seat beltassemblies including a seat belt buckle for use by occupants ofvehicles, and also to arrangements for adjusting the length of the beltused with the seat belt buckle.

2. Description of the Prior Art Seat belt buckles presently used by theautomobile and aircraft industry are bulky, clumsy and tend to require asophisticated mechanism for fastening the belt buckle. The mechanismgenerally consists of a latching device which operates automaticallywhen a tongue member having a slot at its front end is manually pushedinto a buckle housing member, which housing member contains the latchingdevice. The tongue must be forced sufficiently deep within the housingmember in order that the spring loaded latching member will engage theslot in the tongue so as to hold the seat belt buckle assembly closed.The threading of the tongue into the housing member requires suchprecision that one must use two hands skillfully in order to close thisdevice. Since it involves a certain amount of skill and effort, one mayencounter some difficulty in mating and engaging the two buckle membersand might very well be inclined not tofasten the seat belt at all.Furthermore, as often happens, the driver of a vehicle, after he startsdriving, discovers that he has forgotten to fasten his seat belt. Oncethe car is in motion, due to the required skillful use of two hands whenlatching present seat belt buckles, it is unsafe for the driver tofasten the seat belt and thus the seat belt remains unfastened. If thedriver does not fasten his seat belt, the other occupants of the vehicleusually do not.

Present seat belt buckles are generally disconnected by use of one oftwo types of unlatching mechanisms. One type of unlatching mechanismconsists of lifting a lever to unlatch the buckle, and in the other typeof seat belt buckle, a button on the face of the buckle member isdepressed to unlatch the buckle.

The lever lifting release mechanism isactivated when the lever isphysically moved away from ones body, thus requiring an unobstructedarea in which the arc, formed by the length and the movement of thelever, can be made. Therefore, if there is a serious accident, such thatthe space required for opening the seat belt buckle is obstructed, onewould be unable to release himself, or be released, from the seat beltand thus from the car.

In the seat belt buckle containing the button release mechanism, thebutton is normally positioned below the face of the buckle so that onemust place his finger on the button and press inward to disengage thebuckle members. If one has a deformity such as arthritis in his fingersor is wearing gloves during cold weather, it can in fact becomedifficult to depress the button so as to disengage the buckle members.

In view of the number of parts necessary to fabricate the above typebuckles and the accuracy of the components required, these buckles areexpensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION 1. Purpose of the Invention.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide for an improvedseat belt buckle which is more easily fastened.

It is another object of this invention to provide a seat belt bucklewhich is more convenient to disengage.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a simplyconstructed and inexpensive seat belt buckle.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an arrangement foradjusting the length of a belt for use in a seat belt buckle.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part bepointed out hereinafter.

2. Brief Description of the Invention According to a broad aspect of theinvention, there is provided a seat belt buckle for installation in avehicle including first and second metal members, first and second beltsrespectively attached to said first and sec ond members, said firstmember having a lip bent under the main portion of said first member,said second member having a lip bent over the main portion of saidsecond member for mating with and engaging the lip of said first member,at least one of said members including means for holding the respectivelips of said first and second members together when there is a lack oftension exerted on the first and second belts, whereby the matingengagement of the lips of said first and second members insure that saidseat belt buckle will remain engaged until the respective belts areplaced under tension.

A feature of the invention provides that the lips of the respectivefirst and second members form a J'shaped groove with the main portion ofthe respective first and second members.

Another feature of the invention provides that the main portions of thefirst and second members may be curved to simulate the contours of anoccupants torso.

Still another feature of the invention provides that the holding meansincludes a formed spring having one end thereof fastened to at least oneof said members, and the other end thereof positioned between the lipand main portion of said one member.

In still another feature of the invention, the holding means includes apermanent magnet attached to the main portion of at least one of saidfirst and second members, and both of said first and second membersbeing comprised of magnetically permeable material for matingly engagingand holding the lips of said first and second members together.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided anarrangement for adjusting the length of a belt for use with a seat beltbuckle comprising a member having an aperture formed therein, a rollerpositioned over the aperture, said belt passes through the aperturefitting around said roller and exiting through the aperture, and ahousing placed and fastened over said roller and the aperture, saidhousing being internally structured to allow sufficient lateral movementof said roller and belt.

A feature of the other aspect of said invention provides that theinternal structure of said housing consists of a pair of ribs positionedparallel and spaced apart from said roller and belt.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided anarrangement for fastening a belt to a buckle member of a seat belt buckle, said buckle member including first and second parallel slots, saidbuckle member being bent along said second slot and forming a lipextending from a remaining portion of said member, said belt having aportion extending through said second slot, around the outer edge ofsaid lip, through said first slot and again through said second slot,said lip being sufficiently bent towards the remaining portion of saidmember to lock the portions of said belt therebetween. 7

According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provideda method of fastening a belt to a buckle member ofa seat belt, saidbuckle member having first and second parallel slots comprising thesteps of bending said buckle member along said second slot to form a lipextending from the remaining portion of said member, passing said beltthrough said second slot, around the outer edge of said lip, throughsaid first slot and again through said second slot, and pressing saidlip sufficiently toward the remaining portion of said member to lock theportions of said belt therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings in whichare shown various possible embodiments of my invention,

FIG. I is a perspective view of two unhooked buckle members containingmagnetic holding means according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the buckle members of FIG. I hookedtogether;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of two unhooked buckle members containingspring holding means according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a buckle member containing another typeof spring holding means;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view oftwo unhooked buckle members which arecurved to simulate the contour of an occupants torso;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the buckle membersshown in FIG. 1, which members include a reinforcement plate;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the buckle membersshown in FIG. 3, which members include a reinforcement plate;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a buckle member that will havea manually adjusted belt attached thereto;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the belt assembled to thebuckle member shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of abuckle member having two parallelslots formed therein;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the buckle member shown in FIG. 10,wherein the buckle member has been bent along the upper slot;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the buckle member shown in FIG. 11,wherein the belt is passed through the slots in the buckle; and

FIG. 13 is a side view of the buckle member shown in FIG. 12 wherein thebelt is shown fastened to the buckle member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the seatbelt buckle is shown to be comprised of buckle members 10 and 12. A'magnet 14, such as a ceramic permanent magnet or an alnico permanentmagnet, is fastened to the main portion 16 of buckle member 10. Althoughnot shown, an additional or alternative magnet could be fastened to themain portion of member I2. Members 10 and 12 have respective slots 18and 20 pierced therein for receiving respective belts 22 and 24. Whenone of the belts is automatically retractable, the belts can be simplyattached to respective members 10 and 12 by stitching overlappingportions together as shown at 26 and 28, respectively, or in the othermanners hereinafter described in this application. The automaticallyretractable feature can be provided by attaching one end of the belt toa spring loaded shaft, which shaft is mounted on the floor of thevehicle. Members 10 and 12 have respective lips 30 and 32' formedthereon. Lip 30 is bent under the main portion 16 of member 10 while lip32 is bent over the main portion 33 of member 12. Lips 30 and 32generally form an angle 30 degrees or less with the main portions oftheir respective members, wherein the optimum angle can be approximately15 to 20 so as to place the respective lips in satisfactory matingengagement with one another. The shape of the lip bend in this examplecan be described as a J-shaped bend. Members 10 and 12 in this instanceshould be made of a satisfactory ferrous mterial such as steel having athickness, for example, of approximately 3/32 inch.

To operate the seat belt buckle, member 12 is held or placed over thepassengers lap while member 10 is brought over buckle 12 until lips 30and 32 are matingly engaged, as shown in FIG. 12. The means for holdingmembers lO and 12 together, when there is a lack of tension on belts 22and 24, is provided by permanent magnet 14 and the magneticallypermeable characteristics of the ferrous metal which comprises members10 and 12. While magnet 14 provides sufficient magnetic force to holdlips 30 and 32 together when there is a lack of tension on belts 22and/or 24, the matingly engaged position of lips 30 and 32 insure thatthe buckle assembly will not open when tension is applied to belts 22and/or 24. To unfasten the buckle arrangement shown in FIG. 2, one needonly to move member 10 toward member 12 until lips 30 and 32 aredisengaged, or, alternatively, member 10 can be slid in the directionparallel to lips 30 and 32 until the respective .lips are disengaged.

FIG. 3 shows an alternate means for holding lips 30 and 32 in matingengagement, when there is a lack of tension on belts 22 and/or 24. Inthis instance, the holding means is provided by a formed spring 34,which can have one end thereof affixed to the main portion 33 of member12. Formed spring 34 has a section 36 which extends beyond the edge 38of lip 32 and presses against lip 32 of member 12. The curved portion 36of spring 34 may be provided with slots 40, which slots control thetension of the formed spring. Although not necessary, member 10 can havean identical formed spring 42 similarly attached to the undersidethereof. Thus, when member 10 is positioned over member 12 so as to havelip 30 matingly engage lip 32, the curved portions of springs 34 and/or42 will provide sufficient force to hold members 10 and 12 together whenthere is a lack of tension on belts 22 and/or 24. Referring to FIG. 4,formed spring 34, as shown, can be made without slots 40. Referring toFIG. 5 members 10 and 12 can be made to have a curve therein so as tosimulate the contour of an occupants torso.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the seat belt buckle shown in FIG. I.In this embodiment, members and 12 have respective metal sections 44 and46 extending therefrom and underneath the main portions of each of saidrespective members. Section 44 serves to lock belt 22 and plate 48securely to buckle l0 and likewise section 46 serves to lock belt 24 andplate 50 securely to buckle l2 and, in this instant, section 44 inconjunction with the main portion 16 of member 10 serve to-housepermanent magnet 14 therebetween.

FIG. 6 also shows an alternate means for fastening belts 22 and 24 torespective members 10 and 12. In this example, belts 22 and 24 areslipped through the apertures in respective members 10 and 12, and arefastened to respective locking plates 48 and 50. The width of lockingplates 48 and 50 is greater than the longitudinal dimension ofrespective apertures 18 and 20, so as to prevent respective belts 22 and24 from becoming detached from respective members 10 and 12. FIG. 7 isanother embodiment of FIG. 6 wherein permanent magnet 14 has beenreplaced by the formed springs 34 and 42 described above in reference toFIGS. 3 and 4.

If the automatic belt retracting member does not sufficiently take upthe slack of the belt when the buckle is latched together, then it isnecessary to manually adjust the belt length of one of the belts whichare attached to one of the buckle members. FIG. 8 shows a plan view ofthe components used in the arrangement for manually adjusting the beltlength. Member 12 is shown having slot 18 formed therein, and, member 12has sidewalls 52 and 54 to control the location of the ends ofthe rollerand to structurally reinforce the 'member. In this instance, member 12will have a hole 56 formed and threaded within the main portion thereof.Roller 58, which is placed over slot 18, has a longer axial length andlarger diameter than the respective length and width of slot 18. Thesides of housing or cover 60 is designed to mate with the side walls ofmember 12 and is dimensioned to cover the belt adjusting arrangementwhen affixed to member 12. Housing 60 is internally structured so as toprevent roller 58 from moving excessively in the lateral direction. Inthis instance, housing 60 is provided with ribs 64 and 66 extendinginternally from the top wall thereof so as to be located parallel to thelongitudinal axis of and spaced apart from the roller and belt. Ribs 64and 66 are spaced sufficiently apart to allow the roller and beltassembly shown in FIG. 9 sufficient lateral movement so that beltadjustments operate satisfactorily. A screw passes through hole 62 andscrews into threaded hole 56., which fastens housing 60 to member 12-.If one would so desire, a permanent magnet or a formed spring could beplaced on member 12 within housing 60 and could be conjointly fastenedto member 12, using the same screw which passes through hole 62 and isscrewed into hole 56.

FIG. 9 shows belt 24 passing through slot 18 in member 12 and aroundroller 58, and exiting again through slot 18. When both portion 68 and70 of belt 24 are positioned parallel to member 12, the length of theseat belt can be shortened by pulling on the free end of the belt. Bodypressure against the belt and the buckle will cause the belt to becometightly locked. When member 12 is positioned perpendicular to portions68 and 70 of belt 24, the belt length can be adjusted by pulling onbuckle member 12, thereby shortening the free end of the belt.

In the present art of fastening the belts to the buckle members, thebelt is passed through a slot in the buckle member and the overlappingportions of the belt are stitched (sewn) together. FIGS. 10-13 show myinvented method for fastening a belt to a buckle member, which methodeliminates the stitching (sewing) togetherof overlapping portions of thebelt. As shown in FIG. 10, buckle member 72 has first and secondrespective slots 74 and 76 formed therein. As shown in FIG. 11, bucklemember 72 is bent along slot 76 so as to form a lip 78, which lipextends from a remaining portion 80 of buckle member 72. As shown inFIG. 12, belt 82 is passed through slot 76, around an outer edge 84 oflip 72, back through slot 74 and exiting through slot 76 so as to formoverlapping portions 86 and 88 as shown. In FIG. 13, lip 78 is furtherpressed towards the remaining portion 80 of buckle member 72, untiloverlapping portions 86 and 88 of belt 82 are locked therebetween.

It should be noted that either the magnet or the formed spring,described above, provide a frictional force for holding lips 30 and 32in mating engagement. That portion of lips 30 and 32 is engaged in aflat plane with the ends of the lips unobstructed so that either member10 or 12 can be slid in opposite parallel direction parallel to lips 30and 32 until] members 10 and 12 are disengaged.

It thus is seen that there is provided a seat belt buckle which achievesthe several objects of the invention and is well adapted to meet theconditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein described, or shown in theaccompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having now described the invention, there is claimed as new and isdesired to be secured by Letters Patent:

1. A motor vehicle seat belt assembly comprising:

A. a first seat belt,

B. a second seat belt,

C. afirst seat belt buckle member,

D. means for securing said first seat belt to said first seat beltbucklemember,

E. a second seat belt buckle member,

F. means for securing said second seat belt to said second seat beltbuckle member,

G. said first seat belt buckle member including i. a first portion,

ii. a lip bent over said first portion of said first seat belt bucklemember,

iii. a first two-ended formed spring of flat metal having one endfastened to said first portion of said first seat belt buckle member andthe other end pressing against the under side of the lip of said firstportion of said first seat belt buckle member.

H. said second seat belt buckle member including i. a first portion,

ii. a lip bent under said first portion of said second seat belt bucklemember,

iii. a second two-ended formed spring of flat metal having one endfastened to said first portion of said second seat belt buckle memberand the other end pressing against the under side of the 7 8 lip of saidfirst portion of said second seat belt a direction parallel to thelength of said seat belts buckle member, when there is a lack of tensionexerted on said I. all of said first portions, lips and springs being ofbelts,

uniform and the same widths, L. the interengagement of said lipsmaintaining said J. said buckle members being mutuallyinterengagemembers in mating relationship when the belts are able withthe lip of each member entering between placed under tension butallowing said members to the lip and spring of the other member, bedisengaged by relative sliding movement of said K. said springs pressingthe lips together in a direcmembers in a direction perpendicular to thetion perpendicular to said first portions to prevent lengths of saidbelts.

relative disengaging movement of said members in 10

1. A motor vehicle seat belt assembly comprising: A. a first seat belt,B. a second seat belt, C. a first seat belt buckle member, D. means forsecuring said first seat belt to said first seat belt buckle member, E.a second seat belt buckle member, F. means for securing said second seatbelt to said second seat belt buckle member, G. said first seat beltbuckle member including i. a first portion, ii. a lip bent over saidfirst portion of said first seat belt buckle member, iii. a firsttwo-ended formed spring of flat metal having one end fastened to saidfirst portion of said first seat belt buckle member and the other endpressing against the under side of the lip of said first portion of saidfirst seat belt buckle member. H. said second seat belt buckle memberincluding i. a first portion, ii. a lip bent under said first portion ofsaid second seat belt buckle member, iii. a second two-ended formedspring of flat metal having one end fastened to said first portion ofsaid second seat belt buckle member and the other end pressing againstthe under side of the lip of said first portion of said second seat beltbuckle member, I. all of said first portions, lips and springs being ofuniform and the same widths, J. said buckle members being mutuallyinterengageable with the lip of each member entering between the lip andspring of the other member, K. said springs pressing the lips togetherin a direction perpendicular to said first portions to prevent relativedisengaging movement of said members in a direction parallel to thelength of said seat belts when there is a lack of tension exerted onsaid belts, L. the interengagement of said lips maintaining said membersin mating relationship when the belts are placed under tension butallowing said members to be disengaged by relative sliding movement ofsaid members in a direction perpendicular to the lengths of said belts.